Machine for assembling groups of containers

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for forming packages of containers which have a body portion and a relatively smaller neck portion with abutment means adjacent the upper end of the neck portion. The containers are moved continuously in a predetermined path, segregated into groups or clusters, and an endless band is expanded, moved along in registry with each cluster and finally telescoped and released onto each cluster. At a subsequent position along the path of each cluster a carrier is moved along in registry with each cluster and forced downwardly over the ends of the containers to complete the package.

United States Patent 1 Maclnnes et al.

[ 1 MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING GROUPS OF CONTAINERS [75] Inventors: John M. Maclnnes, Millis; Robert W. saumsiegle Needham, both of Mass.

' [73] Assignee: Owens-Illinois, ln c., Toledo, Ohio [22] Filed: Dec.2l,l970

[21] Appl.No.: 100,034

[52] US. Cl ..53/48, 53/159, 53/198 R,

53/189 [51] Int; Cl ..B65b 21/00, B65b 27/04 [58] Field of Search ..53/48, 159, 198 R, 389

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Bruce ..53/48 X 1 51 Feb.6, 1973 3,509,684 5/1970 Hohletal ..53/4s Primary EXaminer-Robert L. Spruill Alt0rney-Philip M. Rice and E. J. Holler [57] ABSTRACT A method and apparatus for forming packages of containers which have a body portion and a relatively smaller neck portion with abutment means adjacent the upper end of the neck portion. The containers are moved continuously in a predetermined path, segregated into groups or clusters, and an endless band is expanded, moved along in registry with each cluster and finally telescoped and released onto each cluster. At a subsequent position along the path of each cluster a carrier is moved along in registry with each cluster and forced downwardly over the ends of the containers to complete the package.

12 Claims, 25 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDFEB ems 3.714.756

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INVENTQQ. JOHN m.MAQLMM BY ROEXERT \Alggumg g g 

1. In an apparatus for making a package of containers having a body portion and a relatively narrow neck portion with abutment means adjacent the upper end of said neck portion including a conveyor for moving containers in a predetermined path, means along the conveyor for segregating the containers into clusters, and means along said conveyor for applying a band to each said cluster, the improvement wherein said means for applying a band comprises a first carriage along the conveyor, means for mounting said carriage for reciprocating movement along said conveyor, a turret on said carriage, said turret having at least one head thereon, means for rotating said turret periodically, said head having means thereon for engaging and expanding an endless band, means for moving said head into telescoping relation to a cluster as it is moved along with the conveyor, means for moving said carriage so that the head is in registry with the cluster, and means for releasing the band when the band is telescoped over the cluster.
 1. In an apparatus for making a package of containers having a body portion and a relatively narrow neck portion with abutment means adjacent the upper end of said neck portion including a conveyor for moving containers in a predetermined path, means along the conveyor for segregating the containers into clusters, and means along said conveyor for applying a band to each said cluster, the improvement wherein said means for applying a band comprises a first carriage along the conveyor, means for mounting said carriage for reciprocating movement along said conveyor, a turret on said carriage, said turret having at least one head thereon, means for rotating said turret periodically, said head having means thereon for engaging and expanding an endless band, means for moving said head into telescoping relation to a cluster as it is moved along with the conveyor, means for moving said carriage so that the head is in registry with the cluster, and means for releasing the band when the band is telescoped over the cluster.
 2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said head comprises means for raising and lowering the turret on the carriage.
 3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein a plurality of heads are mounted on said turret, said heads being operable to provide a plurality of bands on a plurality of clusters simultaneously.
 4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein each said head comprises a plurality of fingers operable to expand and stretch said band.
 5. The combination set forth in claim 1 including means for feeding a flattened tube of elastic material, means for successively severing portions of said tube to form said endless band, means for expanding each severed band such that it is in position for engagement by said expanding and stretching means.
 6. The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein said means for expanding said flattened tube comprise vacuum means operable to engage opposed sides of said flattened tube, and means for moving said vacuum means away from one another to expand said band.
 7. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein a plurality of heads are mounted on said turret and a plurality of flattened tubes are engaged and expanded, means for engaging said tubes prior to expansion and moving them axially toward one another to bring them into alignment with said expanding and stretching means, means for expanding said tubes for engagement by said expanding and stretching means.
 8. The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein said last-mentioned means comprises vacuum means operable for longitudinal movement relative to one another.
 9. In an apparatus for making a package of containers having a body portion and a relatively narrow neck portion with abutment means adjacent the upper end of said neck portion including a conveyor for moving containers in a predetermined path, means along the conveyor for segregating the containers into clusters, and means along said conveyor for applying a band to each said cluster, the improvement wherein said means for applying a band comprises a first carriage along the conveyor, means for mounting said carriage for reciprocating movement along said conveyor, a turret on said carriage, said turret having a plurality of heads along opposed sides thereof, means for rotating said turret periodically to bring the heads along one side or the other into overlying relation with said conveyor, each said head having means thereon for engaging and expanding an endless band, means for raising and lowering said turret and in turn said heads into telescoping relation to a plurality of clusters as they are moved along by the conveyor, means for moving said carriage so that the heads are in registry with the clusters, and means for releasing the bands when the bands are telescoped over the clusters.
 10. The combination set forth in claim 9 wherein each said head comprises a plurality of fingers operable to expand and stretch said bands simultaneous with releasing bands onto bottles opposite the side at which bands are engaged and expanded.
 11. The combination set forth in claim 10 including means for feeding a plurality of flattened tubes of elastic material, means for successively severing portions of said tubes to form a plurality of said endless bands, means for simultaneously expanding severed bands such that they are in position for engagement by said expanding and stretching means. 